London Zoo has launching an urgent worldwide appeal to find a female mate for the last remaining males of a critically endangered fish species.

The Mangarahara cichlid (Ptychochromis insolitus) is believed to be extinct in the wild, due to the introduction of dams drying up its habitat of the Mangarahara River in Madagascar.

London Zoo has two of the critically endangered animals, believed to be the only ones left in public collections - but both are male.

London Zoo has two of the critically endangered animals - but both are male

Now, the zoo is searching for a mate to save the species, which keepers describe as 'gorgeously ugly'.

The Curator of the Aquarium at ZSL
London Zoo, Brian Zimmerman, along with colleagues at Zurich Zoo in
Switzerland set about trying to find other Mangaraharan cichlids in zoos
around the world – using international zoo and aquarium associations to
reach as many experts and aquarists as possible, but had no luck
finding surviving females.

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The
team at ZSL London Zoo are now launching a desperate appeal for private
aquarium owners, fish collectors, and hobbyists to come forward if they
have or know of any females in existence, so that a vital conservation
breeding programme can be started for the species.

Launching
the appeal, ZSL London Zoo’s Brian Zimmerman said: 'The Mangarahara
cichlid is shockingly and devastatingly facing extinction; its wild
habitat no longer exists and as far as we can tell, only three males
remain of this entire species.'

The zoos two males are both 12.

The Mangarahara cichlid (Ptychochromis insolitus) is believed to be extinct in the wild, due to the introduction of dams drying up its habitat of the Mangarahara River in Madagascar

Have you seen this fish? A rare picture of the female Mangarahara cichlid experts are hunting for

'It might be too late for their wild counterparts, but if we can find a female, it’s not too late for the species.

'Here at ZSL London Zoo we have two healthy males, as well as the facilities and expertise to make a real difference.

'We are urgently appealing to anyone who owns or knows someone who may own these critically endangered fish, which are silver in colour with an orange-tipped tail, so that we can start a breeding programme here at the Zoo to bring them back from the brink of extinction.'

ZSL London Zoo is asking anyone with information about the cichlids to email the team at fishappeal@zsl.org